2025 Review Pt2

 

This week we have the second half of my review of 2025 where I seem to really pack in the church visits and completed both the Clerics Trail and Oxfordshires Best Churches 

Collage of churches and windows, the church top right I did visit in December as a revisit and will publish a blog in a few weeks

July

 

 The fist church featured this month was St Mary Magdalen Oxford which I managed to visit after looking around St Michael at the North Gate I just happened to be open so who am I to pass off a chance. It was worth it

   

St Bilo Llanfilo  was  noticed in the distance while driving along the main road a while ago. It might look not a lot different outside but go inside and you see an amazing rood screen and pews dating to 1630

 

 

 I went back to Oxford to St Giles and visit the last of the churches I knew I could get into. On going in the door I noticed a lecture going on so I went off to another church and came back later when there were fewer people about.

 

St Aloysius Gonzaga Oxford. Was the church I visited while waiting for the lecture at St Giles to finish. This church did not have much to see externally but inside was stunning not like other Catholic churches I had been to. I just walked around in awe

 

August 

 

 

After going to St Giles I made my way down to St Barnabas Oxford, this one I found locked but as luck would have it a lady who was cutting flowers nearby had a key to let me and some other visitors from Australia in to see another stunning church

 

I decided to visit some Berkshire churches next, not my best choice as all the ones I visited were locked but St Mary Virgin Speen also had a large churchyard to look around. Hopefully I can sort out a revisit

 

I struggled to find how to get to St John Stockcross I could see the tower but it seemed to be in the middle of a field. After parking in one and finding the footpath there the church was locked. After going round the churchyard I sussed out the entrance from the road.

 

With  St Andrew Boxford. I was hopeful but again no though I did find out it was possible to visit again 

 

I did an update during the week about what I was doing next

 

I drove right past the entrance to St James Winterbourn. but managed to find the entrance after doubling back, again I found it locked but I would like to return when I can arrange it

 

September 

 

Started with St Peter & St Paul Wantage, which I had been to many years before but I wanted to update the blog it was just a shame the weather did the same and was overcast

 

St Giles Tetsworth has been on my list for a long time but I never got around to visiting even though I have with all the nearby churches. I made two visits after finding it locked I managed to return when they were working in there.

 

I had a few days in at our caravan on my own so took the opportunity to visit the churches on the Clerics Trail, well the ten I had left to see starting with St Harmon Garmon which turned out to be a pretty little church to see.

 

 

St Peter and St Paul Whitney-on-Wye was the next church and the first of seven I visited that day 

 

October 

 

I found St Mary Monnington-on-Wye in the middle of a cider orchard and a shot trek along a path but it turned out a nice visit

 

 

St Andrew Bredwardine  I have been wanting to see if only because it was Kilverts last church and where he is buried but aside from that part the church is well worth a visit

 

 

St Michael Moccas was not far away on an estate in the middle of a field 

 

From there I made my way to The Holy Trinity Hardwicke which was another church on it's own

 

November

 

St Mary Cussop took some finding 

 

 

I finished my days travel at St Elgon llanigon  where the miserable Rev Tomas is buried

 

I did a quick update during the week informing you of what other churches I had visited

 

 

St Mary Hay-on-Wye was the next day and after managing to miss the rain the previous day I found it on this one but the church was a welcome respite  

 

 St Mary Caple Y Ffin for me was the best of the churches I visited in that it was simple and neat and a church where you could be at peace with yourself and if it was not for the rain must be in a beautiful setting. I will try and return in some good weather

 

I did a mid week post of All Saints Oxford which is now Lincoln Collage Library. I have been in touch with them and hope to arrange a visit inside next year.

  

End of November saw me visit St Philip & St James  which is now the Oxford Center for |Mission Studies. I visited the place back in September on the Oxford Open Doors event. It's shame it is not a church as it is still quite something to see inside.

 

December  

 

St Peter in the East now St Edmund's Hall Library was next and after finding it had a Crypt I managed to arrange a second visit to see it.

There is not much of the old church to see inside other than memorials and stained glass which was a little disappointing after the last church but is worth visiting if you can. The Crypt though is superb with the carvings on the pillar capitals and the font. They still hold services there as well.

 

St Peter & St Cynir I visited as I happened to be passing and wanted to see what it looked like, unfortunately it was locked but it had a large churchyard to see.

  

St Matthew Harwell was the last church and was another I revisited for new photos I might add the place had changed from my last visit.

I still have a few churches from 2025 to post yet so hopefully will start visiting some new ones in 2026. One place high on the list is Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford. There are a few more churches in Wales that were Highlighted my Bovey Belle that I would like to see along with a couple more up near Bredwardine. Oxfordshire till has plenty for me to explore along with Berkshire and Hampshire and Buckinghamshire not to mention Wiltshire and I still will be revisiting a few churches I have been to in the past I'd like to update.

Till next time May I wish you all a peaceful week